The City of El Cerrito, in partnership with Related California, is pleased to announce that the El Cerrito Plaza Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Project, Parcel A-South, has been awarded $39.1 million in funding from the State of California’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program. This funding, approved by the California Strategic Growth Council, will help finance a 70-unit affordable housing building adjacent to the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station, which is part of a larger effort to provide 743 new housing units in the area. The awarded funds will contribute to the construction of 69 affordable rental units, along with essential infrastructure and transportation enhancements that will benefit the entire community.
“This grant award is a significant step forward in our commitment to creating a more equitable and sustainable El Cerrito. The project will not only provide much-needed affordable housing but also contribute to our City’s environmental and climate goals” said Mayor Tessa Rudnick.
The overall TOD project includes a total of 6 buildings that will provide 743 new housing units, with 47% of the total units to be rented at below-market rents. It includes a total of 22,000 square feet of new public open space, including a new community plaza along Fairmount Avenue that will be approximately 0.5 acre in size, 2,100 square feet of new commercial space, and in addition, the project features an opportunity to include a new 20,000-square-foot public library if the City can identify funding. This TOD will support the City in reaching its Regional Housing Needs Allocation for the 2023-2031 planning period of creating 1,391 new housing units with 38% earmarked as affordable housing.
The project will be developed in 6 phases over approximately 4 years, with the first building (Parcel A South) expected to start construction in 2025. This grant award ensures that timeline remains possible. Parcel A South is bounded by Richmond Street to the east, Central Avenue to the south, and the Ohlone Greenway to the west. It occupies the southern portion of the existing BART parking lot on the north side of Central Avenue, across the street from the El Cerrito Plaza BART station.
“This grant will allow us to create a sustainable, affordable housing community that aligns with El Cerrito’s vision,” said Ann Silverberg, CEO, Related NorCal Affordable. “We are excited to contribute to the City’s efforts to address the housing crisis, while also furthering multiple other community goals ranging from sustainable transportation and open space to potentially being able to partner in building a new El Cerrito Library.”
The AHSC grant will also fund more than one mile of east-west bikeway that connects north-south thoroughfares passing through El Cerrito, a 2,350 linear foot safe and accessible walkway on Richmond St., new bus shelters, and traffic calming elements. In addition, residents of the project will receive transit passes as part of the grant. These benefits illustrate the significance of pairing housing and transportation investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
El Cerrito is one of 21 jurisdictions across the state to receive this highly competitive funding. “This grant is a major milestone in our efforts to implement the City’s Strategic Plan, Specific Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, adopted by the El Cerrito City Council,” said Community Development Director Melanie Mintz. “The project will help us achieve numerous City Council goals, including improving multimodal transportation, creating a more vibrant downtown, and providing both market-rate and affordable housing.”
With the AHSC funding secured, the City, Related California, and other partners are actively applying for additional funding to realize the full vision for the El Cerrito Plaza TOD project. Construction of Parcel A South is anticipated to begin in 2025.
More information about the Transit-Oriented Development Project at the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station can be found here: http://www.el-cerrito.org/tod.